What was the Boeing 727’s first-flight date?

The Boeing 727 made its first flight on February 9, 1963.

The prototype 727-100 took off from Renton Municipal Airport in Washington, beginning the test program for Boeing’s first trijet airliner. The aircraft was designed for shorter runways and frequent service, using three rear-mounted engines and a distinctive T-tail.

Eastern Air Lines and United Airlines were the launch customers. The 727 entered commercial service with Eastern on February 1, 1964, about a year after its first flight.

The 727’s first-flight date is sometimes confused with February 19, 1963, which is associated with early test-program chronology in some summaries. It is also distinct from the 727’s service-entry date. The later 727-200 stretched the fuselage and carried substantially more passengers than the original 727-100.